Hatchery Reform and Our Pacific Region National Fish Hatcheries

Conflicts between harvest goals and conservation goals have raised questions regarding the benefits and risks of hatcheries.  To address these conflicts and to address the future role of our Pacific Region hatcheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed a review of 24 federal hatcheries, including fifteen National Fish Hatcheries and nine state-operated hatcheries administered through the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan. The reviews and reports for 53 individual programs took place from 2005 through 2011, were modeled after the Hatchery Science Review Group process, and culminated with a final report in 2013 on Region-wide Issues, Guidelines and Recommendations.  Our region-wide final report identified 17 issues surrounding hatchery program management, protocols & procedures, data management, and research; also included were a suite of 27 Best Management Practices.  The concepts of hatchery reform can be described as strategic hatchery management and must be integrated with habitat conservation.  The principles of Strategic Hatchery Management (and Strategic Habitat Conservation) and the challenges of implementing hatchery reform will be addressed.  The developing role of conservation hatcheries, new technologies such as dual drain recirculating aquaculture systems, and reintroductions of fish into historically occupied habitats will also be touched on.